1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a slide fastener stringer including a woven stringer tape and a coiled fastener element woven into the stringer tape along a longitudinal edge thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus for weaving a stringer tape of warp threads and a weft thread simultaneously with the weaving of a slide fastener element, usually in the form of a helical coil, into the tape are known. In such apparatus the slide fastener element is fed to the weaving area alongside the warp threads and then woven into the tape along a longitudinal edge thereof by the weft thread as the latter is being woven with the warp threads into the tape. The prior apparatus utilize only a single reed which beats the weft thread in the warp shed against the fell of the tape during weaving. However, because such beating force by the reed does not act on the individual coupling heads of the fastener element but only through the medium of the weft thread, the coupling heads of the fastener element on the tape edge are liable to objectionably slant and would often end up with irregular element-to-element pitch. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,531 issued Oct. 19, 1976 to Lobasov is believed to be one of such prior art apparatus.